By application of the anterograde transport technique of Phaseolus vulgaris leuco-agglutinin the descending autonomic projection of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus was investigated. The Phaseolus lectin technique allowed the detection of the cells of origin in the paraventricular PVN, the precise position of two distinct descending axon pathways and the detailed morphology of terminal structures in midbrain, medulla oblongata and spinal cord.